Self-locking device for display frames and the like



g- 1967 A. P. VAN HERK ETAL 3,338,606

SELF-LOCKING DEVICE FOR DISPLAY FRAMES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 50, 1964FIGJ , INVENTORS ADRIAN P. VAN HERK TORNEY United States Patent P CanadaFiled Sept. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 400,349

1 Claim. (Cl. 287-56) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosurecomprises an elongated L- shaped lever with a broad body and at the apexor juncture of the arms of the body is formed with a thick portion andprojecting laterally from the sides of the thick portion there are apair of opposed trunnions for pivoting the lever on opposed supports.This construction permits the lever to be mounted pivotally on a base inthe path of movement of an insertable structural member such as a postso that the lever is pivoted and its short arm bites into the postduring insertion and its long arm swings under the post so that the postis pressed laterally against a pair of spaced points of support.

[his invention relates to improvements in a self-locking device fordisplay frames and the like and appertains particularly to such amechanism that is suitable for rigidly securing vertical members totheir horizontal base supports.

In assembling preformed metal display frames, it is essential that thegondola posts or uprights be rigidly mounted in true vertical andparallel relation. If the structure be of a knockdown or demountablenature, nuts and bolts are frequently employed and the boltaccommodating perforations must first be carefully positioned inregistry, all of which consumes time and the eventual assembly notinfrequently allows of some looseness.

It is an object of our present invention to provide a self-lockingmounting device for rigidly yet releasably holding an inserted uprightmember to a horizontal base member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a selflocking device fordemountable display frames or the like that enables the easy and rapidassembly or dismantling of the parts without the use of any looseextraneous parts or requiring special tools or the employment of skilledworkmen.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a self-lockingmounting device that is rotatably carried by one member and brought intotight wedging relation with a second member on the engagement thereof bythe second member as such second member is being applied to the firstmember.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a simple,one-piece self-locking mounting device of the nature and for the purposespecified that is formable as an L-shaped or bell crank-like integerwith trunnions projecting from opposite sides at the apex.

To the accomplishment of these and related objects as shall becomeapparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts as shall behereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

The invention will be best understood and can be more clearly describedwhen reference is had to the drawings forming a part of this disclosurewherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the severalviews.

Patented Aug. 29, 1967 In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of thelower portion of adisplay frame assembly showing an upright member secured to thehorizontal base support memher by our L-shaped self-locking mountingdevice;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the L- shaped or hellcrank-like locking device;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevation thereof; and

FIGURE 4 is a plan view thereof.

Referring now particularly to these drawings, the locking device, shownapplied in FIGURE 1 and in detail in the remaining figures, will be seento consist of an integral L-shaped or bell crank-like lever 5 ofrelatively wide flat form; the two arms of the L being disposed at rightangles with the shorter arm 6 being about or less than half the lengthof the longer arm 7 or in the proportion of approximately 3:7 and foruse with a 2 inch display frame upright, the arms would preferably benot more than 1 inches wide with a thickness of approximately 4 inch orroughly one-sixth of the width.

Running along the outer side of the L-shaped lever 5 is a substantialcentrally disposed rib 8 that tapers to the end of the short arm 6 at anangle of 65i5 to the vertical end of the arm and to the horizontal endof the longer arm 7 at an angle of 45 :5".

The junction 9 of the arms 6 and 7 of the L-shaped lever may be roundedon the outer side and the rib 8 as it continues there-past is likewiseof arcuate contour, as seen best in FIGURE 2.

On the inner face of the junction 9, which may be referred to as theapex, the fulcrum is located, comprising a short stub shaft or trunnion10 extending from opposite edges of the L-shaped or bell crank lever 5,being external projections of a transverse thickening 11 at the apex.

In the present case, the illustrated locking lever 5 is employed indisplay frame assemblies, a typical application being shown in FIGURE 1where a horizontally disposed foot or base part comprises a pair oflaterally spaced horizontal members 20 whose upper and lower flanges 21are directed outwardly allowing a clear vertical channel or canyonpassage of say two inches or so in width for the reception ther-ebetweenof a vertical post or upright member 22, shown as a hollow steel post ofrectangular cross-section with an interiorly projecting rigidifyinggroove 23 up each side.

To assist in positioning the upright 22 in the canyon passage betweenthe members 20 in the horizontal base, a pair of vertically spaced bolts24 with appropriate nuts are used, traversing the base and serving alsoto secure these laterally spaced horizontal members 20 together. Offset,or longitudinally spaced in the horizonal base, from these verticallyspaced bolts 24 that act as abutments when engaged by the upright 22,the L-shaped lever 5 is rot-atably mounted by its trunnions 10journalled in the spaced horizonal members 20, and this occurs at alevel intermediate of the vertical spaced abutments 24. The lockinglever 5 is arranged with the L in inverted position and facing theabutments and so separated therefrom longitudinally of the horizontalbase as to admit the rectangular upright 22 being dropped down betweenthe bolts or abutments 24 on one side and the angle lever 5 on theopposite side, with the upright 22 sliding past the inturned short arm 6until the bottom of the upright engages the longer arm 7 that projectsacross its path. As the upright descends further it bears on the longerarm 7 causing the lever 5 to rotate on its trunnions 10 forcing the freeend of the short arm 6 to jamb against the side of the upright oppositethe abutments 24 and at a level intermediate said vertical spacedabutments. A tap as by a rubber mallet on the top of the upright fastensthe same in sturdy rigid assembly With the horizontal frame foot 20.While the free end of the longer arm 7 can be suitably rounded, it maybe desirable to machine the biting free end of the shorter arm 6 toprovide a sharp right angle face to engage the upright memher.

If the horizontally disposed foot or base part of the display frameassembly and the vertical post be regarded as separable andintersectiong members, it will be appreciated how simple and efficient alocking device the rotatably mounted right angle lever element is inhaving its longer arm coacting with the lower end of the post so thatits shorter arm is rotated into frictional engagement with the post onthe side thereof opposite from that contacting the vertically spacedpair of abutments and at a level intermediate said abutments.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be manifest that a self-locking device suitable forknock-down display frames and the like is provided that will fulfill allthe necessary requirements of such a device, but as many changes couldbe made in the above description and many apparently widely differentembodiments of the invention may be constructed within the scope of theappended claim, without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, itis intended that all matters contained in the said accompanyingspecification and drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and notin a limitative or restrictive sense.

What is claimed as new is:

An automatic locking device comprising in combination with twostructural members, an angle-shaped lever pivotally attached at its apexto one structural member and normally hanging with one arm of theangle-shaped lever extending into the path of an being rotatable by theother structural member, the second arm of said angle-shaped lever beingpivoted into locked impingement with an adjacent wall of the otherstructural element by the engagement and continuing pressure on thefirst arm of said angle-shaped lever by said other structural element,said first structural element having a vertically spaced pair of boltsacting as abutments and holding the plates together and saidangle-shaped lever being pivotally attached to the same member in spacedrelation to said abutments and at a point intermediate said abutments,said one arm acting as a support for said other member and said secondarm of the lever and said pair of abutments affording three clampingpoints for the other structural member, the arms of the angle-shapedlever being of unequal length, and a transversely extending thickenedportion on the inner face of the lever at its apex to act as trunnionsand a centrally disposed rib extending along the other side of saidlever having tapering end portions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 290,315 12/1883 Bowen et a1.24-249 1,087,291 2/ 1914 Henry 24-249 1,540,803 6/1925 Powers 242493,147,570 9/1964 Shanton 52728 X 3,243,051 3/1966 Ruhnke 28756 X FOREIGNPATENTS 515,537 2/1955 Italy.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

R. S. VERMUT, Assistant Examiner.

